Issues with Human Enhancement Definition Human enhancement an attempt to temporarily or permanently overcome limitations caused by the human body Drugs and digital technologies enable people to work harder longer and smarter Enhancements can also be used to treat people with illnesses and disabilities There are ethical political and economic issues that have caused the line between therapy and enhancement to become blurry Therefore there needs to be limits and rules that will ensure these enhancements are used properly and safely Cognitive Enhancement Drugs Modafinil treatment for narcolepsy improve attention and makes tasks more enjoyable Adderall Ritalin for attention deficit disorder used by students and poker players to improve focus Ethical Concerns Safety may have harmful effects on unregulated use of enhancement drug May leave long term effects on cognitive abilities Unfair for only certain people to use enhancements Athletes Today There are many restrictions on athletes today because of the many human enhancements that are available to improve their play There is performance enhancing drugs surgeries gadgetry specialized equipment and mathematical analysis available They are monitored modeled tested and retested to help them perform their desired task The Ethics of Steroids Pros Can be used as treatment for cancer patients Help patients that are inflicted with pain Help those with growth definences Ex Arthritis Cons Many athletes however use steroids to further their fitness and performance skills which is qualified as cheating increases the player s chance of getting liver cancer Exoskeletons and Bionic limbs Used for disabled people to regain back their normal function and movement Can be used by others that are not disabled but want to be able to walk or run faster or do more work then they were capable of before Athletes with bionic limbs bring up an issue of whether it is an unfair advantage to compete against others that have biological limbs Pros Increased productivity More creativity Increase learning capabilities Longer lives Stronger bodies and minds Alleviate pain and stress Cons Addiction to pharmaceuticals Long term side effects Cost of enhancements creates a class barrier in society Social pressures to use enhancements to get ahead of others resulting in more competition A form of cheating for those that don t need enhancement How Society is Affected With further research and improvements in technology human enhancements will create more healthy people and longer lives This growing aging population will transform health care and welfare Government may have to revise expectations and time durations for working class Enhancement technologies have the potential to affect the offspring we have way we think way we play how we age and long we live Work Cited H Magazine H Magazine N p n d Web 03 Dec 2013 Jha Alok Report Raises Ethical Concerns about Human Enhancement Technologies Theguardian com Guardian News and Media 07 Nov 2012 Web 03 Dec 2013 Sharing Knowledge for a Better Future OpenMind N p n d Web 03 Dec 2013